Miguel Cullen, Author at Catholic Herald

Miguel Cullen

A new amnesty could protect St Oscar Romero’s killers

April 11, 2019

It is almost 30 years since El Salvador’s civil war ended, but the aftermath of the conflict continues to divide opinion. Witness the recent proposal from parliamentarians to grant an amnesty to those involved. If the legislation passes, all ordinary criminal charges relating to the 1979-1992 war would be dropped; and war criminals would be

How the Church is helping poor and hungry Venezuelans

January 31, 2019

On rubbish-strewn waste ground in Caracas, Fr Jesús Godoy grasps a large wooden cross and preaches to men who survive by finding food amid the garbage. Fr Jesús is part of the Catholic community bringing aid to some of the 80 per cent of Venezuelans who live in poverty in 2019. Venezuela has been in

Panama is sparing no expense on this month’s World Youth Day

January 03, 2019

What kind of a Panama will Pope Francis encounter when he visits the country for World Youth Day later this month? The country is as Catholic as any of its fervent Central American neighbours, but it is currently undergoing a crisis of conscience regarding the separation of Church and state, given the $54 million (£43

Brazil’s bishops nervously await Bolsonaro’s first moves

November 29, 2018

Jair Bolsonaro entered office at the end of October, much helped by support from Christian voters. He courted both Catholics and Brazil’s growing number of Evangelicals, styling himself as an upholder of Christian family values, and an opponent of abortion, same-sex marriage and gay adoption. He also criticised gay and gender-fluid ideologies being taught in

Brazil: Out of Egypt?

October 04, 2018

Bolsonaro could be the next president – and Brazil’s bishops are worried This Sunday a divided nation goes to the polls. Jair Bolsonaro and Fernando Haddad are rival presidential candidates in Brazil’s general elections. They represent the far-Right and the Left respectively. At the time of writing they are separated by 10 percentage points. Jair

Chapels desecrated, bishops assaulted: the attack on Nicaragua’s Church

July 26, 2018

Nicaragua’s clergy are preaching peace. But President Ortega has accused them of plotting a coup

Bishops on the barricades

July 26, 2018

Shaky video footage shows priests processing with the Blessed Sacrament through the low-walled streets of Sébaco. This is no ordinary day in the Nicaraguan city: a street battle is raging. As the priests walk, others join in, their heads lowered as if braced for impact. They are heading straight into the heart of conflict. The

Exorcist who was spiritual director to Pope Francis dies aged 102

July 19, 2018

Fr Carlos Aldunate SJ taught the young Jorge Mario Bergoglio in 1960

The next battle is in the Pope’s backyard

May 31, 2018

Three million pro-lifers marched in cities across Argentina last month, in the hope of swaying the “undecided 30” deputies in a tightly contested abortion vote that will take place in the Argentine lower chamber in early June. Holding up crosses draped in the pale blue and white Argentine flag, leading their children by the hand

Brazil’s surprise vocations boom

May 24, 2018

A country known for its priest shortage has experienced a sudden increase in numbers

Brazil: A silver wave

May 24, 2018

A country known for its priest shortage is enjoying a boom in vocations Brazil has long been seen as the epicentre of the global priest shortage. The problem is particularly acute in the Amazon. In the Diocese of Xingu, for instance, 27 priests serve 700,000 faithful, meaning that in some places Masses only occur two

Is the Pope’s homeland about to liberalise abortion?

May 04, 2018

Argentina is gripped by a debate over whether to change abortion law

1 2 3 … 6 →

Sorry, no search matching search results found. Please try again.